8 Days a Week.....

This time of year, you can't count on the weather. Some days are cold, some days are colder, and for some inexplicable reason some days are much, much warmer. Last Wednesday was one of those much warmer days.

It had rained very heavily the night before but the morning dawned bright and warm. (I'm assuming it dawned that way since it was bright and warm when I got up several hours later.) Listening to the radio, it was already in the upper 60's, but would get progressively cooler during the afternoon. I decided it would be a good day for a walk.

Lately, I've put on a few pounds. To me, it's noticeable but others seem to think I was too thin to start with. I blame it having the car, and being inherently lazy. Anyway, I decided to walk up to Perkins for breakfast, stop at ShopRite for some stuff, maybe hit the library, and go home. I should be out most of the morning.

The walk takes me up Rahway, along Freeman, and out onto Amboy (which becomes St. George at some arbitrary point). I was enjoying it. The air was warm, the sun was out, and everything just seemed to be brighter. Coming out on to Amboy, I crossed to the other side and walked up passed A & P and ShopRite. Just passed ShopRite there's a new bank and the recently reconfigured turn off from Routes 1 & 9 North. This turn off wraps around the store and parking lot for Animals & Things, which sits in sort of a bowl because of the way the turn off was built.

As I passed the bank, I saw a huge amount of pigeons in the parking lot for Animals & Things. A HUGE AMOUNT OF PIGEONS! It was like an army of flying , diseased rats, and they were all facing in the same direction, Animals & Things. It looked like they had planned an attack and were waiting for the word to start.

I stopped, not wanting to move too quickly forward, in case I set them off. Just then, I saw someone come out of the back of the store. He was carrying a large box. A shudder went through the pigeons, but they stayed where they were. He walked right into the middle of them, and began to spread around what I presumed to be bird seed or something, which he took from the box. He was feeding this army of scavengers!!! This wouldn't do.

With great power comes great responsibility. I circled back, and around the bank, coming up on the parking lot from the far side. The man paid not attention to me (nor did the pigeons) and continued to throw around the food. I took the Flasher out. Closer. Closer. No one paid me any attention, and the way the turn off came around, we couldn't be seen from either the highway of Amboy/St. George.

Point, press, flash. I turned around quickly, and without running, moved as fast as I could towards the bank. I circled around, and approached the lot from the street side again. The pigeons continued to eat around the man, many of them in the box which had fallen on to the ground with him.

"Enjoy it while you can." I thought, "Since it's the last meal you'll get around here."

I was in a good mood as I continued my walk, although I figured on coming back on the other side of the street. I didn't care if I got a confirm on this one (although I did) because I felt I'd done the world a favor.